Egg-crate



No. 617,0". Patented lan. 3, |899.

R. E. L. GRAY.

EGG CRATE.

IApplication filed Apr. 26, 1898.-

(No Model.)

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ROBERT E. L. GRAY, OF TORNADO, IVEST VIRGINIA.

EGGNCRATE.

'f SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,01 1, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed April 26, 1398. Serial No. 678,870. (No model.)

To all whom, it 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. L. GRAY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Tornado, county of Kanawha, State of IVest Virginia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg-Crates, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an egg-crate which will prevent breakage of the eggs during transportation.

The nature of my invention will be described below, and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view, the coverpartly broken away. Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section. Fig. il is a broken detail of one of the fillers.

Like letters refer to like parts.

A represents the crate, B the end handles, and O the hinged cover.

D is a transverse partition extending from the top to the bottom of the crate and dividing the latter into two parts or receptacles.

Of course the crate may be made of any practical size or may have more than one partition. According to present modes of shipment the receptacles on either side of the partition should be large enough to give room for trays or looked fillers each holding three dozen eggs; but I do not limit myself in this regard nor to the number of fillers.

In filling the crate there is first placed in the bottom of each receptacle a platen E, having spiral springs o depending from the under side and resting on the bottom of the crate. This platen closely fits the walls of the receptacle and obviously acts as a cushion to the weight which may rest upon it or to the jars of transportation. The cornersprings are locked to the central one at l), and the number of them may vary as the case demands. Upon the lower platen is built up a series of egg-fillers F, made of cardboard or suitable material and surrounded on all sides by removable strips of corrugated packing-paper h, four of them resting against the walls of the crate. The fillers F vary from the usual construction by having all their sides locked by a narrow external strip of cardboard c, passing through the projecting tongue cl of the strips forming the pockets, as shown. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) IVhen the crate is full, there is placed upon the corrugated paper cover of the upper tray of eggfillers another platen E, constructed like the lower one; but the springs are turned upward, so that when the cover O is closed they will act as a cushion against it for the contents below. (See Fig. l.)

It will be seen that the eggs are protected on all sides from the jars of transportation and will arrive at commission-houses, &c., in good order; also, that the construction of the crate is simple and economical, and by partitioning, as shown, one crate may be made large enough to hold as much as two separate ones.

IIaving described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

As an article of manufacture, an egg-crate, composed of a body divided into two receptacles by a transverse partition, each receptacle provided with a lower platen having underneath a spiral spring at each corner with its free end locked to a central spiral spring and all of said springs bearing upon the bottom of the crate, a series of egg-fillers having their sides locked by a strip c, passing through tongues cl of the strips forming the pockets, removable strips of corrugated paper surrounding the egg-fillers on all sides, and an upper platen constructed like the lower one and resting upon the packing of the upper egg-filler but having its springs extending reversely t0 those of the lower platen, and a lid closing down against said springs, as set forth.

Signed by me at Tornado, Test Virginia, this 16th day of April, 1898.

ROBERT E. I.. GRAY.

Witnesses:

LoUIs BOWLING, IRVINE L. JOHNSON. 

